Abstract:

Introduction:
The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed serious changes on people’s professional and personal life. After the state of emergency was declared as a means for restriction of the virus spread, the training for the students in medical specialties had to switch into an online form. All participants in the educational process found themselves in a new and unfamiliar situation that caused unreasonable anxiety and panic, sleep disorders, irritability, depressed mood, fear of the unknown, obsessive thoughts and actions, stockpiling with food, household goods and medicines.

Aim:
The present article presents the results from the analysis of the health crisis effect by university lecturers from Medical University of Plovdiv.
Materials and methods: Within the international scientific project “STOP COVID-19 STRESS” developed by the researchers, two scientifically based, economical, sustainable, and widely available solutions for overcoming students’ difficulties connected with the pandemic situation and the extension of the pandemic are introduced.

Results:
A complex of research activities, surveys and laboratory investigations are planned which are related to the analysis of the consequences from the health crisis and offer innovative solutions especially significant for the student target group and for the public health.

Conclusion:
The present project is focused on the development of an inclusive students’ community via the consolidation of their spare time as a way for achieving well-being, mental health strengthening, and the prevention of psychological and socio-economic effects of the pandemic on students’ life.

Acknowledgement:
*This study is supported by AUF research project: "Study and assessment of stress-induced conditions of prediabetes, metabolic syndrome and psychological distress in students in a continuing pandemic situation (COVID-19) and risk prevention by creating a web-based platform «STOP COVID-19 STRESS»".

Keywords:

COVID-19, students, pandemic effect.